For the most part, peanut butter can be awesome for dogs and most dogs LOVE it! Peanut butter is great as an occasional "high value" treat, it’s useful for hiding pills, and it can even be used to distract your dog while giving them a bath or trimming their nails.
While most peanut butter brands are safe for dogs, not all types of peanut butter are safe and not all amounts of peanut butter are safe, either.
Read MoreTopics: Emergencies, Dog Health, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol, Pancreatitis, Diabetes, Toxicity in dogs, Poison control, Blog, Dog Treats, Seizures, Safe pet treats, Peanut butter, Hypoglycemia, Hepatitis
If and when disaster strikes, the last thing you want is to scramble for supplies.
Whether you have to hunker down or evacuate to safety, there won’t be much time to worry about finding food, water, and other necessities — and that's if the store shelves haven't been picked clean already.
So it’s vital that you not only have an emergency plan but also an emergency kit — for you and your dog or cat. Hopefully, you will never have to use this kit for the pets in your family. But you will feel a lot better knowing that you have what you need, even if you never need it.
Read MoreTopics: Cat Health, Dog Safety, Dog Health, Cat Safety, pet safety tips, pet safety, Pet First Aid Supplies, Cat Emergency, Dog Emergency, Emergency Preparedness for Pets
While your new puppy’s sleep schedule might not (yet) be in sync with yours, there are still plenty of things you can do to help both of you get as much sleep as possible. For the first several nights and weeks, you should make peace with the fact that you’re just not going to get a full night’s sleep. But the time and dedication you put in now will help you reach that point sooner (before sleep deprivation makes you start speaking in tongues to shadow people). Check out the tips below so you and your puppy can get back to that deep REM sleep as soon as possible.
Topics: Dog, Dog Safety, Dog Food, Food, Puppy, new puppy, puppy tips, Dog Health
When your dog suffers an illness, injury, or poisoning, knowing what first aid to do (and not do) can have a big impact on their recovery, safety, and comfort. It can also help your emotional stress, because you'll have a plan of action to follow whenever a problem arises. For these, and many other reasons, I always recommend that dog owners take a pet first-aid class. But that's not the end of the story.
Regardless of whether you've taken (or are planning to take) a first-aid class, you still need to have the supplies and "gear" handy to be able to administer first aid to your dog. And that's where having a good pet first-aid kit (or two) comes in.
Do you have a pet first-aid kit? If not, you really should — and this article will show you what you need in your dog's first-aid kit and why.
If you already have a first-aid kit, when was the last time you checked and updated it? Have your stocks run low? Are the medications expired? Does it truly have everything you might need? (Many pre-made pet first-aid kits don't!)
Read on to see what your dog's first-aid kit should have, and what each of the items is necessary for.
Have a cat? Check out this first aid shopping list for cats.
To make it easy for you to put together (or check) your pet first-aid kit, we have a shopping list (for mobile or printable) for you to take to your nearest pharmacy to grab your dog's first-aid supplies.
Want to make it even easier for yourself (and likely cheaper, too)? We've sourced and linked to good quality/value examples of each of the first-aid items below. Each item on this list has been vetted for you to ensure that you're getting the right products and brands that will be most effective, practical, and safe for inclusion in your dog's first-aid kit. [Full Transparency: Product links are Amazon Affiliate links. Learn more here.]
Hopefully you'll never need to use your dog's first-aid kit. But, you never know, and well... Murphy's Law. So here's how to prepare...
Read MoreTopics: Cat Health, Dog Safety, Dog Health, Cat Safety, pet safety tips, pet safety, First Aid, Pet First Aid Kits, cat first aid, Pet First Aid, dog first aid supplies, dog first aid, Pet First Aid Supplies, Pet First Aid Kit
Your puppy is settling into their new home and you’ve picked out the best food you could find (and afford). Or maybe you’ve kept the food they were fed by their breeder or at the shelter. But for some reason your puppy has no interest in their meals.
This can be — and very well may be — a concerning sign in a puppy. And it’s a big concern in a very young or small puppy, as they have less ability to sustain themselves without enough calories.
Read on to see why your puppy might not be eating and what to do about it.
Read MoreTopics: Dog, Dog Safety, Dog Food, Food, Puppy, new puppy, puppy tips, Dog Health
If you’re looking for a high-value treat, a handy way to sneak some pills into your pooch, or something to stuff into an interactive feeder, you can’t do much better than peanut butter. Not only is peanut butter a great snack to place in interactive feeders for dogs, but the sight of a dog vigorously smacking their chops never gets old.
Topics: Emergencies, Dog Health, Diabetes, Blog, Dog Treats, Safe pet treats, Peanut butter, Calories, Diet, Safe dog treats
Xylitol is a "sugar alcohol" sweetener that's becoming an increasingly common sugar substitute all across the country. Though it's found in a great many products (700+ and counting!), sugar-free and "sugarless" gums are, by far, the most common source of xylitol poisoning in dogs. You can help change that.
With just a share and a signature, you can help #GetXylitolOut of gum and protect thousands of dogs each year. We've even found a dog-safer replacement sweetener that the gum campanies can use — it's called erythritol, and it may even be better for your teeth, too!
Now we can do more than just raise awareness about the dangers of xylitol. We can actually get rid of one of the biggest xylitol dangers to dogs! Please sign our Change.org #GetXylitolOut petition and read on to learn more about this problem and to see what else you can do to help.
Read MoreTopics: Xylitol, Is Xylitol Safe, Xylitol Gum, Dog Safety, Dog Health, pet health, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol Products
You’re preparing for a new puppy, and though it may not be one of the more exciting things on your new puppy checklist, you’re likely wondering what type and size of collar to get for your new fur bundle.
Maybe you’ve already stood in wonderment (and confusion?) in the dog collar aisle of your local pet supply store?
With so many different types of dog collars on the market, it can be difficult to know which kind is best for your new puppy. A standard neck collar works well to display your puppy’s identification and contact information should they become lost, but is it the best option when taking your puppy for a walk? From collars to harnesses, we’ll review the various options so that your puppy is best equipped for leash walking.
Topics: Dog Training, Dog Safety, Dog Health, Dog Collars, Dog Harnesses, Dog Walking, Dog Behavior, Dog Tips, Dog Leash, Retractable Leash, Collapsing trachea, Laryngeal Paralysis, Larpar, Slipped disc, Horner's Syndrome, Dog Neckwear, Kennel Cough, Wobbler Syndrome, Neck Collar
The places your new puppy is allowed to go and the other pups and people they can meet along the way is influenced, in part, by what vaccines they’ve had. So we've put together this overview of the "shots" (vaccinations) that puppies should have during their first several months of life, as well as the "why" and "when." Take a peek and discuss with your veterinarian to ensure that your new pup is as protected as they can be from the conditions that can sicken or cause them (even you) harm.
Read MoreTopics: Puppies, Dog Health, Vet Exam, Vaccines, Vaccination, Socialization
Unfortunately lots of dogs have problems with their anal glands. Some anal gland impactions get so bad that they become abscessed and rupture, causing pain for the dog, and quite a nasty mess for their people (as well as the costs associated with having the infection and abscess treated). So if anal glands are such a pain in the butt — both literally and figuratively — why do dogs have them and what can you do to help your dog if they suffer from regular anal gland problems?
See some of my recommended products and solutions at the end of the article.
Topics: Dog Health, Anal Glands, Dog DIet, Dog Behavior
Please do not ask emergency or other specific medical questions about your pets in the blog comments. As an online informational resource, Preventive Vet is unable to and does not provide specific medical advice or counseling. A thorough physical exam, patient history, and an established veterinary-patient-client relationship is required to provide specific medical advice. If you are worried that your pet is having an emergency or if you have specific medical questions related to your pet’s current or chronic medical conditions, please contact or visit your veterinarian, an animal-specific poison control hotline, or your local emergency veterinary care center.
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